Rob Ford is backing MPP Monte McNaughton to be the new leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservative party.

The former mayor toured McNaughton around City Hall on Friday and came out endorsing him to be the next provincial PC leader.

“I’m going to support Monte,” Ford said. “He’s the true conservative in the race, obviously.

“Nothing against the other candidates, I know them all very well, but Monte is the one that should be leading this province in the right direction.”

McNaughton is one of five running for the party leadership. PC MP Patrick Brown along with MPPs Christine Elliott, Vic Fedeli and Lisa MacLeod have all thrown their hat in the ring. The new leader will be selected in May.

McNaughton said he was honoured to have Ford’s endorsement.

“We think in very similar lines,” McNaughton said. “We need a conservative leading the party. We have one Liberal party in Ontario, we certainly don’t need a second one.

“We also need a leader in this province who stands up for the little guy. I think that’s where Rob and I share a lot of the same principles and values of getting government living within its means and standing up for taxpayers not the special interests in the province of Ontario.”

Ford’s endorsement of McNaughton comes despite the fact Elliott — the widow of Ford family friend Jim Flaherty — is running and his brother Doug Ford endorsed her when he announced last year that he wouldn’t jump into the PC leadership race.